In Rain and Shine
by BluStrawberri
Summary: It's always raining when he comes over.It's just one of those simple truths he has accepted about Ash, and he would rather not waste the small time they have together with measly questions. AshxGary, Palletshipping.


It's always raining when he comes over.

It has never occurred to Gary just _why_ that is, or even to ask. It's just one of those simple truths he has accepted about Ash, and he would rather not waste the small time they have together with measly questions. In fact, he realizes, they never really _speak_ when they're together; words are meaningless in the hot, messy void that they share equally. Sentences are thrown hastily on the floor, clauses and punctuation slowly following until they are one big heap, a pool marking the otherwise spotless carpet. Even parentheses are stripped off, and they are bare, naked in the soft shadowy light of the overcast day. All else falls away as they breathe, slowly and methodically, and they begin to explore. Touching, tasting, _feeling _the other in their perfect embrace of heated unity.

But it is one day—today in fact—that afterwards, when they lay in each other's arms, Gary decides to ask, "So why do you only come when it rains?"

A moment's pause, and then: "Because it's the only time that Misty goes out of the house."

Gary bites his lip. _Of course_. "The _only_ time?"

Ash looks up at him, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Yeah. She likes to take her water Pokemon out to play in the rain."

"Oh."

Ash sighs, carefully untangling his body out of the taller man's arms, and sits up. "I should get going. She should be getting back soon."

It is only after Ash is dressed in "that _stupid_ suit Misty makes me wear" that Gary has a thought. "Stay."

Ash turns around, and Gary can see that the statement startles him. Ash bites his lip. "Gary…"

It is then that Ash's phone rings, and as soon as Gary hears Misty's name, the conversation is tuned out—it would hurt too much anyway. He hears the phone click shut, and closes his eyes, preparing for the worst.

"She's leaving the park," Ash breathes, "in ten minutes."

They don't even say goodbye as Ash turns out the door and Gary is left watching his back as he walks away.

OoOoOo

It's a bright and sunny day when Ash comes back.

Gary has little time to think of the irony as he opens his door and is immediately knocked into the wall by the younger man latched onto him. All he can think to do is bring his hand up and gently caress his lover's back, murmuring soothing words into his ear as the sobs get louder and louder. He vaguely thinks that the open door is letting all the air conditioning out, but he focuses instead on the problem at hand. Together they slide down the wall and onto the floor. All Gary can do is deliver gentle kisses to Ash's forehead and whisper reassuring words in his ears, and he feels a bit helpless but strangely calm about the whole thing.

It isn't until Ash's cries die down to whimpers, and the tears have stopped completely, that Gary's mouth forms one simple word: "Misty?"

Ash nods, looking up at his lover as he hiccups. "She…left."

Gary doesn't ask why, because it's a silly question when the answer is obvious, and they both know it. Instead he asks, "What're you going to do now?"

"I…don't know."

"Okay," Gary says simply, and he picks Ash up from the ground and leads him to the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up."

Many tissues and a quick shower later, Ash is sitting at Gary's kitchen table, looking oddly comfortable in the older man's clothes. He looks down into the untouched cup of tea that Gary has made him, and sighs.

"You know…I could probably scrounge up some blankets if you want to sleep on the couch tonight," Gary says, and hastily adds, "I mean, until you make up your mind."

"Yeah…thanks," Ash whispers, still looking down.

When it is clear that Ash isn't going to say any more, Gary sighs and gets up from his chair.

"Wait," he hears, and it is small and sounds more like a question than anything. He turns back. Ash is looking at him, an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Yeah?" he asks, more to prod Ash on than anything.

"Did you…mean what you said?" Ash asks in a small voice.

"What?"

"I mean," and Ash clears his throat, "did you mean what you said…when you asked me to stay?"

Gary pauses a moment. He knows that the wrong answer will scare Ash away, and he knows that somehow he doesn't want that right now. He makes a split-second decision, and now he knows it's the absolute truth when he says, "Yeah. I did mean it."

"Oh, okay," Ash murmurs, and Gary could swear he sees a small smile playing on Ash's lips. "I guess I will, then. Stay, I mean."

"Okay," Gary says, and that's when Ash _does_ smile, and Gary smiles back, and they both know that everything is going to be all right.


End file.
